Switch



June 11, 1929. F, c, LoT'z 1,716,646

SWITCH V Filed May 19, 19.24 `4 sheets-sheet 1 June 11, 1929.` 11F. c. LoTz SWITCH Filed may 19, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 swITcH Filed May 19, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 f www? #$642767 mfg f Patented June '11, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,716,646 PATENT oFF1cE.

ALFRED F. C. LOTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBLTO ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS EQUIPMENT C0., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWITCH.

Application filed May 19,

This invention-relates to electrical switches and although not limited thereto itrelates more jnirticularly to switches of the type in which the movable blade mea-ns is carried by a rocking insulator and adapted to be rocked into and out of Contact with a relatively stationary terminal lug.

In switches for opening and closing electrical circuits, particularly where considerable voltages are carried the length of the switch arm must be relatively great for striking distance, and the matter of securing complete and proper closing in spite of disalignment between the separable switch contacts becomes of importance. The matter ot securing firm contact over the entire contacting area is alsov of importance as is the matter of protecting or shielding the contact means against rain, snow, sleet and the like, and the matter ot' minimizing the number and inertia of the parts.

The primary object of my present invention is the provision ot' an improved full. floating blade mechanism having a relatively great range of self adjustment or self alignment with respect to the terminal contact so that relatively great disalignment may occur without interfering with or impairing the closing of the switch.

Another object `is the provision of animproved manner ot supporting the blades which will permit this great range of self adjustment and which will permit a more nearly balanced spreading action of the blades.

Another object is the provision ot floating blades which will receive the terminal lug over a relatively great range of disaligned `positions and guide themselves into proper contact therewith.

Another object is the provision of improved blade tensioning means for obtaining maximum contact between the blades and the stationary lug and a firm and uniform pressing of the blade or blades into contact with the lug over the entire contacting area.

Further objects are the provision of a generally improved simplified and rugged structure, improved means for protecting the blades and mounting therefor, an improved stationary clip and an improved manner of mounting the clip and connecting the line conductor thereto.

According to my invention I employ a pair of floating blades which are free to adjust 1924. Serial N0. 714,219.

themselves into proper cooperation with the terminal lug. The blades are preferably adapted to receive the lug over a wide range of disaligned positions and to direct themselves into proper contact therewith. The blades are preferably mounted within and carried by the hood in such manner that the mounting is protected by the hood and a balanced spreading action is secured. The blade tensioning means is characterized by` its arrangement in an open figure preferably at the corners of a triangle and it acts within the contacting area and along the margins of the blades to secure firm and uniform contact at all points. Where the hood comprises a plurality of parts the parts may be bound together by the blade tensioning means which supports the blades on the hood and. where pantograph arms are employed provision is made for connecting them t0 this same means. In this manner the number -,and inertia of the parts is minimized and great compactness and simplicity is secured.

To acquaintthose skilled in theart with the, manner of constructing and practicing the present invention I in connection with the accompanying drawings a specilic embodiment of the same. l

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of the separable contact mechanism showing the manner ot mounting and the protecting hood; f l

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on lines 2 2, 3 3 and 4 4 respectively of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a modification;

Fig. 6 is a detail section on line 6 6 ot Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a reduced side elevational view of a switch embodying the present invention.

The stationary part of the switch shown comprises a stationary terminal Contact or clip 5, which is preferably ot solid hard drawn copper of generally rectangular cross section. Contact or clip 5 has flat parallel lsides which foi-n a contacting area 6 and a j base 7 in the plane of contacting shall now describe in a shoulder 10. The mounting base of clip or contact 5 is set against the finished surface of lug 8 with the end of the clip against shoulder 10 and mounted directly upon the opposite parallel surface of the clip or contact 5 is a circuit terminal 11 having the usual socket. for the reception of the bare end of the circuit conductor 12 which is suitably secured therein as Well understood in the art. Bolts 13 extend through the flattened base of circuit terminal 11 and are threaded through contact member 5 and at their outer ends into suitable nuts 14. The bolts 13 thereby perform the dual function of binding the circuit terminal 11 in firm electrical contact With clip 5, and the clip and circuit terminal securely upon support 9. When so mounted the connection is directly to the clip, sharp corner's such as occur Where an angle mounting baseis employed being eliminated. AtI the same time finishing of the contacting and clip mounting surfaces is facilitated in that one is a continuation of the other and finishing of both in a single operation is permitted.

Lug 8 is preferably east integral with clip support 9 and the lug and support are preferably of cast brass, although this may of course vary. The support has an upright pedestal portion 15, a mounting base 16 and a lateral web 17 headed at 18. A short distance from its bared end conductor 12 is clamped in a groove in head 18 by means of a `U-bolt 19. This clamped portion of the conductor takes the stresses which are imposed and relieves the end which is secured in socket 11 of said stresses. Base 16 is secured by bolts 20 upon a fitting' 21 cemented or otherwise suitably secured upon the upper end or head of a relatively stationary `supporting insulator 22 which is preferably mounted With the rocking insulator 23 upon a common supporting base (not shown), as for example, in the manner more fully disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 683,572, filed December 31, 1923.

As more fully disclosed in the above application, insulator 22 extends obliquely from the mounting base and rocking or tilting insulator 23 is mounted at its lower end upon a rock shaft on the supporting base to be tilted or rocked by rotation of the shaft as through suitable remote control operating mechanism. [Rocking of insulator 23 to the left (Fig. 1) serves to separate the movable contact or switch blade means 24 from the relatively stationary clip or contact member 5, and rocking in the opposite direction movescontact or blade means 24 into electrical contact with clip 5 and thereby closes the circuit.l I

The movable contact or blade means 24 is carried by and housed wholly within a protecting hood 25 which protects the blade means against snow, rain, sleet and the like.

The hood 25 is preferably integral with the upper end of a pedestal 26 having at its lower end a mounting base 27, the hood, pedestal and base being preferably formed integral of cast brass or the like. The hood 25 has a side wall 28, from the margin of which a wall 2S) extends laterally and closes the back and top of the hood. The side 28 projects forwardly beyond the blade means 24 and wall 29 is turned down a short distance along the forward margin thereof at 36 and moves lover clip 5 ahead of blade 24 and offers maximum protection for the clip, blades and blade mounting when the switch is closed. The back is turned out at 30 and the bottom 32 is spaced at one end from the back to form a suitable opening /through which the flat flexible conductors 34 may be led for connection with'blades 24. The opposite end of bottom 32 is turned up at 35. the space between this upturned end 35 and downturned end 36 forming an opening 37 through which the clip 5 is adapted to extend for contact with blades 24.

The base 27 is secured by bolts 38 upon a fitting 40 cemented or otherwise suitably secured upon the upper end or head of insulator 23. The apertures in base 27 lthrough which bolts 38 lentend and the apertures in base 16 through which bolts 2O extend are preferably elongated, as shown, to permit adjustment of either base` on its fitting 21 or 40 by a motion of translation. This permits relative lateral adjustment of the blades and lug to decrease or remove any disalignment that occurs. The motion of translation permitted isA crosswise or laterally of the plane of clip 5 and blades 24 so that while disalignment between the clip and blades will be taken care of by the floating action of the, blades, the amount of disalignment to be taken care of may be redueedor eliminated by adjusting the blades and clip into alignment. The elongated mounting apertures also permit some range of combination of fittings of different styles and sizes. ,Y

One side ofvhood 25 is open at 45 to permit mounting the blades in the hood. This open side 45 is closed by a cover 46. Projecting laterally from the inner side of cover 46 are lugs or flanges 47 which cooperate with the back, top, bottom and down turned end 36 to position the cover on the open side of the hood. The cover and hood are bound or secured firmly together at their rear ends by bolts 48, one arranged above the other and an additional bolt 49 binds the forward ends of the hood and cover together.

The blade means 24 comprises a pair of blade members 50 which lie substantially parallel with each other and have contacting and clip receiving jaws 51. These jaws extend longitudinally of clip 5 and are flared apart at their forward ends to provide a relof clip v5. 'Blades 50 have lateral lugs 52- which lie in the plane of the contacting portions of the blades and have apertures through which bolts 48 extend and thereby perform the additional function of mounting or supporting the blades within the hood 25. The bolts 48 are spaced apart suffieiently to peri/nit the free end of clip 5 to extend and be withdrawn from betwetn them in closing andopening lthe switch.'

Theytare positioned laterally above and below clip 5 when the switch is closed. The openings in blades 50 through which bolts 48 extend are preferably suiliciently large to provide a clearance between the blades and bolts" which permits free floating of the blades along bolts 48 and a. limited floating action in a plane substantially normal thereto.

The blades 50 are urged or forced together' by coiled springs opposing each other at the three corners of anropen triangular figure. One pair of springs 55 on each side are` coiled about the shanks of bolts 48 between the blades 50, and the side 28 and cover 46 respectively. rlhese act along the margins of the contacting portions and urge the margins of the blades toward the clip when the blades are moved into cooperation therewith. The other springs are mounted between the blades and the side28 on one side and cover 46 on the other side, on aligning studs or pins 58 shown integra-l with and projecting inwardly from the hood and cover. These last springs act upon the blades substantially centrally of the forward contacting portions of the blades and serve with the other springs to press the blades into firm and uniform electrical contact with' the parallel sides of the clip 5.

rlhe manner in which the blades 5() are supported on bolts 48 at opposite sidesv of' lug 5 as the blades are moved into contact therewith allows a balanced spreading action and an exceptionally wide range of `tree sidewise or lateral movement of the blades 5t) so that they are free to adjust themselves to-relatively great, as well as slight, inaccuracies `and disalignment of the blades and terminal member.- The bolts 48 form with the bolts 49tension means for tensioning spring 55 through the hood side 28 and cover 46 which they bind together, and the mounting of the blades on `bolts 48, which are in turn supported -by the hood, provides a simple, compact and rugged structure'. lVhile the feature of carrying the blades by the hood and the full floating mounting of' the blades within the hood are important aspects of my invention, it is to be understood that a floating mounting of the blades adjacent the clip or terminal member in the manner disclosed is contemplated without the hood, as well as in combination with the hood, and mounting-of the blades on the blade tensioning means, whether the hood is strictly a lpart of said vmeans or not, is intended as coming within the scope of my present invention. v

The end of each blade 50 Lopposite the a ws 51 has an integral lug 60 turned out at right angles thereto and the fiat, flexible conductors 34 are secured in electrical contact with these lugs as by bolts 61. The lower of the two bolts 48 is somewhat: longer th an the upper bolt, and between. the hood and the head of the bolt at one end and the nut on said bolt and the hood at the ither end are sleeves 65. the links 68 which form a part of' the pantograph or connecting linlrage'which connects the ttings at-the free end of the rocking insulator with the/fittingsat the outer end of the other terminal supporting insulator' of the switch, for example. The lower bolt 48 thereby, in addition to its tensioning, blade supporting and hood and cover uniting function,- pivotally connects the links 68 with the fittings at the outerlend of the insulator The terminal 5'and blade members 5() are protected from the action of arcing upon opening' the. switch by a pair of arcing horns T0 and 72. which are preferably arranged to separate after the separation of blades 50 from contact 5, so as to draw any arc, as well understood in the art. Horn 70 is of generally triangular formation and has a U-shaped mounting base 75 which is clamped to a V-grooved lateral projection on pedestal l5 by a correspondingly V-grooved strap 76 and bolt 78. The. `horn 72 lies along one side of horn 70 and has a U-shaped mounting base 80 clamped between V-grooves in a lateral lug on base 27 and V-grooves in a clamping member `82 by a bolt 83. f

From the foregoing, it will be apparent vthat `the hood 25 is normally stationary relative insulator 28 and moves bodily therewith and that normally, when the blades are out of engagement with the terminal 5 that the s',)1ings 55 will urge said blades together. As the switch is closed, the forward end of the hood moves 'ahead of the blades over contact and the jaws 51 receive the contact and guide the blades into coope ation with the opposite sides thereof, the springs 55 pressing the blades uniformly and into maximum contact therewith.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the base 2i" has a pair of upstanding ears or lugs 100 to which the hood 25 is pivotcd at 101. An integral stop 102 on hood 25 Pivoted on these sleeves are engages lugs 100 and limits' the swing ot the hood in a countereloclmiisc direction about pivot 101. The pantograph links 68 are joiiriialed on the opposite ends of pivot pin 101 and play between integral posts 108 and 101 projecting laterally from the hood sidev 2S' and cover 46 respectively, said cover and hood being bound together as before by bolts 48 which pass through the blades 24' and through the hood, and the hea-ds of these bolts and their cooperating nuts are sunk into the side 28' and cover 46'. as shown in Fig. (i. Springs 55' interposed between the hood side and cover and blades 24' press the blades, with a third pair ot springs 55', yieldingly against the'contact terminal 7', a third bolt 49 having its head and nut sunk in the hood wall and cover, binding the front of the hood and cover firmly together. The flexible conductors G8' extend in through an opening 108 and are secured to blades 24' by bolts 61'.

As the switch is opened, the hood 25' tends to fall or swing by gravity into the dotted line position of Fig. 5, thereby closing the open front of the hood and affording maximum protection when the switch is opened. In opening, the links 68' swing in a clockwise direction with respect to pivot pin 101, as more fully disclosed in my aforesaid copending application. In their clockwise movement relative hood 25', they engage posts 104 and positively force hood 25' to its dotted line closed position, so that should the hood stick or otherwise fail to close by gravity it will be positively closed in the opening of the switch.A With the switch open and the hood in its dotted line position, links 68 will engage posts 103 in the closing movement of the switch and swing the hood25' into its open full line position for the reception of the contact terminal 7'. Thus, maximum protection is had at all times and positive movement of the hood from one position to the other in the opening and closing movements of the switch is assured.

In Fig. 7, I have shown on a reduced scale and more or less illustratively, a side elevational view of a switch embodying the form of the present invention shown in Fig. 5. The stationary insulators are shown at 22' and 150, the movable insulator between them, at 23', the terminals on the stationary insulators, at 11' and 151, respectively, the cooperatingmovable switch contact pivoted on the movable insulator is shown at 24;', and the arm connected to the movable switch contact for controllin g the pivotal movement of the same is indicated at 68' with the links 152 pivoted to the arm and to the tops of the other stationary insulator 150.

I do not intend to be limited tothe details of construction of the particular embodiments shown, but intend that all such modilit-ation and variations as will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art and coming wit-hin the spirit of my invention, be ineluded within the terms of -the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pair of floating blades each slidably supported at a plurality oi points for lateral movement, the plurality of points of support for each blade acting tofpieveiit swinging movement of the blades relative to any of said points, means at each slidable support urging the blades toward each other while permitting them to be moved apart or shifted laterally, and a contact member adapted for coopeiation with said blades by insertion between the same.

2. In combination, a Contact member, floating blades eooperable therewith, tension bolts passing through and supporting said blades and means on said bolts for yieldingly pressing said blades against said coiitact members.

3. In combination, a switch terminal member, floating blades eooperable therewith, a protecting hood for the blades, and bolt means passing` through the blades and secured in said hood.

4. In combination, a switch terminal member, a pair of switch blade members and means pressing separately upon the switch blade members at a plurality of points for pressing said blade members against the terminal, said points being arranged in an open figure.

In combination, a plurality of blade supporting and guiding members, blades loosely and slidably mounted on said inembers, said supporting and guiding members cooperating with the blades at different points to Vprevent swinging movement ol said blades relative to said supporting and guiding members and to prevent lengthwise movement of the blades, means urging said blades toward each other while permitting `them to be moved apart or shifted laterally,

and a contact member adapted for cooperation with said blades by insertion between the same. f

6. In combination, a contact member, blade means cooperable therewith, a protecting hood having side portions at opposite sides of said blade means and bolt means passing through the blade means and secured in said side portions for supporting the blade means in the hood.

7. In combination, fioating blades, aV

protecting hood therefor, bolt meanspassing through the blades and secured in the hood, and means on said bolt means and conined between the blades and hood for urging the blades together.

8. In combination, a protecting hood including a pair of hood parts, means for fastening said parts together, contact means carried by said fastening means and a contact cooperable With said contact means.

9. In combination, a'protecting hood, a cover for said hood, means for fastening the cover to the hood, and a pair of fioating blade members mounted Within the hood and carried by said fastening means.

10. In combination, a support having a mounting base and an upright post or pedestal portion, a lug projecting obliquely from the upper end of said post and laterally offset, said lug having a finished mounting side terminating in a base shoulderl and a terminal contact having a mounting base mounted upon said lug With one end adjacent said shoulder and a contacting por- `tion lying in substantially the vertical plane of said mounting base.

11. In combination, a support having a mounting base and a'n upright post, a laterally offset lug projecting from said post and having a finished side terminating in a baseA shoulder, a contact member having finished parallel sides one lying on the finished side of said lug, a circuit terminal mounted upon the other side of the contact member, and common bolt means passing through the circuit terminal, contact member and lug for binding the terminal contact member in electrical contact and the terminal and contact member upon the lug.

12. In combination, floating blades, a contact member adapted to enter between said blades, the blades having flared jaws for re.-

ceiving the contact member, a protecting hood for the blades, bolts passing through the blades and secured in the hood, said bolts being spaced to permit entryand Withdrawal of the contact member from between them, spring means on said bolts betweenl the hood and blades, and spring means between the contacting portions of the blades and the hood, said last spring means acting with .said first spring means to press the blades into firm contact With the contact member.

' In combination, a terminal contact, fi blades cooperable therewith, bolts passing through and supporting said blades and lying on opposite sides of the terminal contact when the switch is closed, a hood carrying said bolts and covering the blades and means between the hood and blades for yieldably urging thc blades into contact with said terminal contact.

14. In combination, a stationary terminal contact, a rocking member having a fitting anda protecting hood pivoted thereon, and fioating` blades mounted Within and carried by the hood and adapted to be engaged with and separated from said terminal contact by operation of said rocking member.

15. In combination, a protecting hood, a pair of floating blades mounted Within sald hood, said blades having longitudinal portions and lateral base portions, and a pair of fiexible conductor members secured to the lateral base portions of said blade members and extending out for connecting said blades in a circuit independently of said hood.

16. In combination, a protecting-hood having an opening at its bottom side, a pair of 17. In combination, a pivotally mounted protecting hood, a pair of floating blade members carried by said hood, an abutment on the hood, and means pivotally connected to said hood and cooperable with said abutment for swinging it about its pivotal mounting.

18. In combination, a rocking insulator, a protecting hood pivotally mounted thereon, a pair of floating blades carried by said hood, an abutment on said hood, and means pi votallj7 connected to said hood and cooperable With said abutment for swinging it about its pivotal mounting independently of said rocking insulator.

19. In combination, a protecting hood, a pair of floating blades carried by said hood, a pantograph linkage pivotally connected tosaid hood for actuating the same and means for connecting said blades in circuit independently of said pantograph linkage.

20. In combination, a protecting hood, a pair of fioating blade members Within said hood, a plurality of bolt means for securing said blade members to said hood, one of said bolt means having its opposite ends extending through the opposite sides of said hood, and ay pantogr-aph linkage pivotally connected to the opposite ends of said bolt means.

21. In combination, a protecting hood, a cover for said hood, means for fastening said cover to said hood, a pantograph linkage mounted on said fastening means for actuating said hood and circuit connecting means independent of said pantograph linkage.

22. In combination, a first-contactmember, a -pair of contactmembers adapted to receive said first contact member between them, means at three or morepoints on each of said 'last Contact members for pressing them against said `first contact members, said points being arranged in non-alignment and a hood adapted for covering said pressing means and said last Contact means.

23. In combination, a first contact member, a pair of contact members for receiving said first contact member between them, and a plurality of coiled springs, arranged in non-alignment for pressing said last contact members against said first contact member.

24. In combination, a first contact member, a pair of contact members for receiving said first contact member between them, three or more springs, arranged in nonalignment for pressing each of said last contact members against said first contact member, and a hood covering said springs and said last contact members.

25. In combination, a first contact member, a pair of contact members cooperable with said rst contact member, and means acting at three or more points on said contacting members for pressing same against said first contact member, said points being arranged in non-alignment and the ends of said contact members being flared to engage endwise over said first contact member.

26. In a switch, a switch blade, a housing having an opening for admitting the blade into the housing, two fioating contacts within the housing on opposite sides of the opening, spring means between the housing and each of the contacts for forcing the contacts toward one another, guiding means surrounded by the spring means for guiding the movement of the contacts, the contacts flaring from one another adjacent the opening in the housing for guiding the switch blade between the contacts.

27. In combination, a contact terminal assembly including a housing and two floating contact members within the housing, spring means between the housing and each of the contact members for forcing the members toward one another, a switch blade, the housing having an opening for the admission of the switch blade, the Contact members being flared outwardly opposite the opening for guiding the switch blade between the Contact members, each 0f the spring means forcing the respective contactmember into firm electrical contact with the blade when the blade is between the contact members, and forcing the contacting edges of the contact members into engagement when the blade is out of the contact member.

28. In an electric switch, an insulated base member, a hollow contact housing secured thereto, said housing having a central opening therein, a pair of iioating contacts centrally placed within the housing adjacent the Opening, helical coiled spring means between the housing and the respective contacts for forcing the contacts towardone another, and guiding means surrounded by the springs for guiding the movement of each of the contacts under the action of the respective spring means.

29. In an electric switch, a housing having a central opening therein, a pair of floating contacts adjacent the opening and symmetrically placed on each side of the center of the housing, and spring means on each side of the center of the housing for forcing the eontacting'surfaces of each of the contacts into engagement With one another, the contacts fiaring outwardly at the edge adjacent the opening for guiding a switch blade between them.

30. In an electric switch, a housing having a central opening therein for admitting a switch blade, a pair of floating contacts adjacent the opening and symmetrically placed within the housing on each side of the center of the housing, spring means for forcing each of the contacts toward the other,` guiding means surrounded by the spring means for guiding the movement of the contacts, flexible conductors secured to each of the contacts for connecting the contacts in a circuit independent of the housing, and an opening in the housing opposite the first mentioned opening, through which the conductors extend.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of May, 1924.

ALFRED C. LOTZ. 

